1651. Giovanni Riccioli’s Almagestum novum

L’Almestum novum (New Almagest in reference to the work’s title of Ptolémée) and father Jesuit Giovanni Riccioli (1598-1671) gives a new dimension to the study of the Moon. With the assistance of Francesco Grimaldi (1618-1663), also a Jesuit, Riccioli synthetize the previous maps, adds details from new observations, and suggest <a href="https://bibnum.obspm.fr/exhibits/show/selenographies_2019/nomenclatures/toponymie">a nomenclature that has not been done before, but will last</a>.

Riccioli’s ambition is to answer in a Christian perspective, Catholic more preciously, to the theories of Galileo, Copernic, Kepler or Hevelius. By proposing a new lunar nomenclature, Riccioli reveals a certain idea of the world.

 Giovanni Riccioli, Almagestum novum, 1651. Crédits : ETH-Bibliothek Zürich.

 Giovanni Riccioli, Almagestum novum, 1651. Crédits : ETH-Bibliothek Zürich.